Area : 4480 sq. km

Population : 2,382,235 (2001 census)

Best Time to Visit : September to February

Place : Palakkad

Palakkad - Introduction :

The district of Palakkad known as the granary of Kerala, is a land of valleys, hillocks, rivers, forests, mountain streams, dams and irrigation projects. Situated at the foot of the Western Ghats, this is the gateway to Kerala from the north. Palakkad derives its name from the Malayalam words Pala ( Alsteria scholaris) and Kadu (forest) which goes to prove that this place was once a beautiful stretch of forests covered with the sweet scented flowers of the Pala tree.

Accessibility :

By Air : Coimbatore in neighbouring State of Tamilnadu, about 85 km from the shrine.

By Train : Ottappalam, about 5 km from the shrine.

Places to Visit :

Tippu's Fort :

Palakkad Fort, situated in the town close to Fort Maidan, Tippu's Forts the best-preserved fort today in Kerala. It was constructed in 1766 by Hyder Ali of Mysore. This Fort, popularly known as Tippu's Fort, is one of the protected monuments in Palakkad town. It is square in shape, with walls of immense thickness and with strong bastions at all four corners and in the middle. The old draw bridge has since been replaced by a permanent one.

Rock Garden :

The first rock garden of South India,Rock Garden sculpted by world renowned Padmashree Nekchand of Chandigarh is also at Malampuzha. The most interesting feature in the making of this wonder garden is that whole place is made of unwanted and broken pieces of bangles, tiles, used plastic cans, tins and other waste materials.